Loser
by Kagerous
Summary: There's something wrong with Ron. Shego is curious and learns some of Ron's secrets. Including how he feels about her. Could this lead to friendship or more?
1. Chapter 1

Loser

Disclaimer

I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters used in this story. This story has mature content including violence, adult language, and possibly sexual content or situations.

Shego

It was a normal day. Well as normal of a day I get anyway. Dr. D had just finished his usual rant. And as if on cue the princess and the buffoon dropped in. We tossed around the usual quips and took our places. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the buffoon with the guards and I could have sworn he was a step off. Hard to tell when you consider how he usually is. But I was to preoccupied to give it a second thought. A few minutes of action and I was fully into the give and take with the princess. She always surprised me with how good she was. If Dr. D hadn't made me promise not to kill anyone she wouldn't have had a chance but I was handicapped and that gave her the edge. It was getting to the point where she'd take the upper hand and the buffoon would somehow make the lair explode when I heard him scream.

But it was different. It wasn't his usual scream. This wasn't from fear but pain. I looked over and saw him on his knees as one of the guards I think it was Karl but I can't be sure pulled his fist up and was about slam it into Stoppable's back. Kimmie took my momentary lapse in concentration to send me to the ground. I could have gotten back up but I was curious so I took the opportunity to look back at the buffoon who was standing with a look of seething anger mixed with sadness on his face. I had never seen that look on his face before and decided at that moment it didn't suit him. But what really surprised me was that Karl and the other guards were on the ground moaning.

I didn't get a chance to find out what happened as I heard Dr. D yelling for me. A quick flip or two and I was on the hover car as Dr. D was telling Kimmie she wasn't all that. Funny but that never got old. All the times he's said it and I still think it's funny. The hover craft was on auto pilot and Dr. D wasn't in the mood for a conversation not that I would willingly start one with him anyway. So I decided to feed my curiosity and tapped into the lairs security system. One thing Dr. D did right was make sure everything was backed up instantly. All the information and security footage from any of his lairs was instantly transmitted to remote systems for later use. Well the lair hadn't been destroyed but it might as well have been.

So I clicked through a few windows and found what I was looking for. I had to watch the footage five times before I believed it. Then I watched it a few more times because it was entertaining and then one last time because I still couldn't believe it. But there it was on tape. Stoppable had taken out four guards in a matter of seconds. Just as Karl brought his fist down Stoppable turned on his knees grabbed his hand pulled and drove him face first into the floor. Then he sprang at another guard driving his shoulder into mans chest. I swear I heard his ribs crack. He followed that up with a back kick to the third guard's jaw breaking it. He finished by grabbing the last guards head and fluidly pulling his outstretched leg into a knee which he drove into the man's face.

I sat thinking for a few minutes then went back to the footage and watched it again this time from the moment the princess and Stoppable appeared. I watched as Stoppable did his usual dodging which was slower than usual and saw as he was surrounded by the four guards. Karl slammed his forearm into Stoppable's back which was the cause of the scream. It was a hard hit but I know he'd taken hits harder than that and hadn't made more than a groan. Heck I kicked him in the face once and all he did was moan. I stopped the footage at the moment I had seen earlier. Stoppable was standing over the guards' bodies with that look on his face. I was wrong it wasn't anger and sadness. It was more. It looked like every negative emotion a person could feel was being expressed on his face.

I have what many people might call personality quirks. Others might call them negative or violent tendencies. One of which was curiosity. While not violent it led to certain instances of misjudgment. This I was sure would be one of those instances.

Ron

I had said goodbye to KP and watched her leave before I opened the door to my home. I don't remember when it started but I had been spending less and less time at her house. Sure the Dr's P were still like second parents to me and Jim and Tim were my buds but I didn't feel comfortable there. Actually it was the opposite I felt comfortable there but it reminded me of old times and that just made things worse. "Worse" I'd been thinking of that word for a while. I'd never say it but my life hadn't been great. There had been bad times and good times but generally things kinda sucked most things that is not everything. My parents for what little I saw of them were great and the Dr's P treated me like a member of the family. I didn't have many friends but the ones I had were real friends like Felix, Yori, and Monique plus my best little bud and partner in crime Rufus. And then there was KP she had always been the light of my life. But everything else pretty much sucked.

I had never let it get to me. But like I said things had been getting worse. However at that moment I pushed those thoughts out of my mind as I walked through the hallway towards the kitchen. I grabbed a hunk of cheese from the fridge and made my way to my room. As was the norm I was alone except for Rufus. I sat on my bed and pulled the little dude from my pocket. He was asleep but it was dinner time and he would be very upset if I didn't wake him for it.

"Hey buddy." He stirred just a bit but continued to sleep. So I started to poke him in the stomach. He grumbled and rolled over. I leaned in very close to him and said.

"Cheese!" He was up like a shot and dove for the plate I had placed the hunk of cheese on. I smiled as I watched him devour the Wisconsin cheddar. When he was done I picked him up and began to speak.

"Rufus buddy I need your help."

"Okay. Okay." He chirped.

"I knew I could count on you buddy." I placed him on my knee as I tried to pull my mission shirt over my head it stuck to my back a bit but gave with a slight tug. I threw it on the floor and placed Rufus on my shoulder.

"I need you to pull off the bandage so I can change it. Okay buddy?" He nodded and ran across my shoulders. Rufus grabbed the edge of the bandage and pulled it off as he walked back across my shoulders. He had to put his back into it because the dressing was stuck to my back. It hurt but I didn't want him to get scared so I didn't make a sound. When he finished he jumped from my shoulder to the bed.

"Tadaa!" he said as he landed. I was about to say something but lost track of it as something came through my open window. It took a second but I realized it wasn't something but someone. I grabbed Rufus stood and took a step back as I called the intruder by name.

"Shego!"

Shego

As the hover car landed outside Dr. D's "Home" I had decided to pay Stoppable a visit after dropping by my quarters. After all of the lairs Dr. D went through he had an epiphany. There is no place like home. And this was his home. No take over the world plots from here just a place to keep important items and rest. He might come up with a plot here and work on it a bit but when the time for action came we would leave and go to a regular lair. It was definitely one of his better ideas. You have no idea how many wardrobes I've lost.

So I hopped out of the hover car and went to my quarters. After a quick change of clothes I grabbed the key's to my ride and made my way to the hanger. Dr. D was still there. When two people work with each other for as long we have you learn a lot. He could be oblivious most of the time but there were times when he could read me like a book.

"Shego?"

"Yeah Dr. D?" I asked as I walked to my ride.

"Going somewhere?"

"Just out for a bit." I didn't feel the need to elaborate.

"Hmm. Try not to get into trouble." He didn't push for anything more. I left it at that as I climbed into my black and green '79 Vette and made my baby purr. That sound always made me smile. I made my way out of the hanger and put my baby in hover mode. It made quick work of the trip and had me in Middleton in no time. I parked a few blocks from Stoppable's house walked the rest and placed myself in a tree outside of his window. Thanks to Dr. D's hover cars I got there a little before he did. I didn't have to wait long as a few minutes later I saw him with the princess.

He made it to his room and seemed to be talking to himself. I realized as that hunk of cheese he brought was eaten by his pet rat that he had been talking to him. I always wondered about that. What kind of person keeps a rat in his pocket? I watched as he moved the rodent to his lap and then removed his shirt. I was shocked by the huge blood soaked bandage across his back. It explained the scream but left me with more questions. It was surprising to see the rat pull the bandage off. I guess the little guy could come in handy. I refocused on his back and almost fell out of the tree.

"Loser." I said it unconsciously. Even with all the dried blood on his back it was clear as day. The word "Loser" it had been carved into his back. I didn't give it a second thought I jumped from the branch and right through his open window.

"Shego." I almost smiled as he made sure to grab his rat to keep it safe. Almost, I was too angry for smiling.

Ron

What do you do when the most dangerous person you know jumps through your window? Well you make sure your naked mole rat is okay. Which is what I did then I stood there and looked surprised. I did that because you know I was.

"Stoppable. Turn around." Oh my god. This was going to be so bad she didn't even want me to see it.

"Shego I don't know what I did to anger you and bring you here. But I am so sorry. Don't hurt me!" I was not begging well not outright. I was pleading. And pleading is very manly.

"You're not sorry Stoppable. But you will be if you don't turn around." I could tell she was serious because of the look in her eyes. They were hard. Steeled with a purpose but

they didn't have there usual edge. I couldn't explain it but I got the feeling she wasn't going to hurt me. But I have been wrong a lot. However I didn't have a choice so I did as I was told and showed her my back. I wasn't thinking about my wound at least not until I heard her gasp. I must have turned seven shades of red. I didn't want anyone to see that. It was my shame and no one else should have to know about it let alone see it.

"Tell me." I turned around and tried to look her in the eyes but I couldn't meet them. I tried to talk but I felt weak. I sat on the bed and placed Rufus down next to me. He never took his eyes off of Shego. The little guy always had my back. I scratched his head and told him to relax. He crawled onto my lap and blew a raspberry at Shego before climbing into my pocket.

"Tell. Me." I tried to look her in her eyes again but shied away at the last second. It took a few deep breaths but I found my voice.

"Shego, this has nothing to do with you. And it's something I don't want to talk about. Not to anyone." I bent forward and wrapped my hands around my chest suddenly feeling very exposed and very tired. I realized that I was sweating. But I felt very cold. I looked over to her but she wasn't there. I looked forward and saw the ceiling. I had fallen back onto my bed. I didn't feel it. I didn't feel anything I just felt numb. Then I felt nothing. I had blacked out.

Shego

I was about to yell at him but I noticed how much he was sweating and shivering. Before I could ask if he was okay he fell back into the bed. I expected a yelp of pain but there was nothing. All he did was move his head to the side and then back before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out. It had to be an infection. I knew I had to get him to a doctor. I tried to grab him but the rat was suddenly on his chest. He gave me a look that told me if I tried to hurt Stoppable he would do everything he could to hurt me. It was a look that made me stop. I have fought some of the best fighters in the world and have never been afraid. But the look on that guys face made me take a step back.

"Look. Little guy St-Ron is sick. He needs help. That's all I'm going to do help him." He looked at me for a second then turned to look at Stoppable his head dropped a bit and I heard him sigh.

"Okay." He squeaked. I wasn't sure if he said it or if I imagined he said it. But I got the message. I threw Stoppable over my shoulder as gently as I could and made my way to the front door. As I left the room I could feel the little guy climb up my leg and onto my shoulder.

When I got outside of the house I used my cell phone to call my car. It went into auto drive and came right to me. I placed Stoppable in the passenger seat and took my place behind the wheel. I buckled him in just to be safe and kicked my baby into hover mode. We were off to see the doctor.

Even at the speed I was going I stole a few glances to my right to make sure Stoppable was okay. He was still out but he hadn't fallen out of the car which was good enough for me. The little guy had made his way to Stoppable's shoulder and was standing there with his paw on the boy's cheek. He was saying something or I think he might have been. I still wasn't sure if the rat could talk or not.

I maneuvered the car into the hanger and parked as close to the door as I could. As I got out of the car I told the guard on duty to call Dr. D and tell him to meet me in the med lab. I didn't wait for an answer as I threw Stoppable over my shoulder again and made sure to let the little guy out of the car before I shut the passenger side door. After a short walk to the med lab I set him down in one of the few beds. It wasn't long before Dr. D walked in. He was in blue pajamas with a matching robe and fuzzy slippers. He had a mug of what I guessed was coco so I knew I hadn't woken him.

"Bringing home strays Shego?"

"He's sick. I think it's an infection." He looked at me for a second before turning towards Stoppable. Dr. D eyed him for a moment and then sighed.

"When you say infection what do you mean an infected wound or a virus?" I rolled Stoppable over and let Dr. D see his back.

"An infected wound it is. Tell me Shego what happened to the buffoon." He was already walking to medicine cabinet before I could answer.

"Not sure Dr. D he passed out before he could tell me."

"You know you can't keep him Shego. He probably isn't even paper trained." I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me. Trying to figure out what was going on. But I let it slide because I didn't know myself.

"Hey!" The rat wasn't as forgiving. He had made his way onto the bed and was standing by Stoppable's head. He looked at Dr. D and growled.

"Just some bedside humor my little mole rat buddy." Dr. D was actually smiling at the little guy. He walked back to the bed with a tray full of medical equipment.

"First" He began talking as he worked. "We use an antibiotic for the infection then an antiseptic to clean the wounds." He was wiping the blood from the boys back with a clear liquid that you could smell across the room. Stoppable convulsed at the touch and shuddered.

"Quite strong and sadly very painful it's a good thing he is unconscious. These wounds are at least ten maybe twelve hours old which means he got these before he and Kim Possible arrived at our other lair. That is very impressive. The blood loss alone should have put him down. Add to that the pain of these cuts and the infection and you have a very strong boy but not strong enough. He has bruising on his arms probably from someone holding him down while another person did the cutting. He must have been very still because all of these cuts are clean, straight, and uniform in depth. Half to three quarters of an inch. They go into the muscle. The pain must have been beyond belief." He had already begun to stitch the cuts up when he finished talking. He worked in silence for a time before asking the one question I had been asking myself.

"Does Kim Possible know?"

"I got the impression he hadn't told anyone." I suddenly felt very tired as I remembered the look on his face. The way he had said it was so final. He didn't want to talk to me. He didn't want to talk to anyone, anyone at all.

"That is rather surprising. Not his keeping this from her. That I can understand. But the fact that she couldn't tell there was anything wrong with him." Dr. D got this far away look in his eyes as he sighed.

"Yet you picked up on it rather quickly." He stood as he had just finished applying fresh dressings to Stoppable's back. He walked to the sink at the other end of the med lab throwing the gloves he had on in the trash with the used medical equipment. He washed his hands slowly deliberately. I could tell he was deep in thought. Finally he turned back towards me.

"Shego what does it mean when the only person that knows you are unwell is an enemy? What does it do to a person to know that their best friend of so many years does not see what an enemy has seen? More to the point what does it mean when you feel there is no one you can confide in?" I knew not to answer the questions. Not that I could. But I kept silent.

"If I was this boy's doctor I would tell him he needed bed rest. I would tell him that he is very ill from the infection and weak from blood loss. I would send him home with his parents and have them watch him very closely for any signs of the infection worsening. I would tell them that while the antibiotic should prevent the infection from spreading and destroy it there is always a chance things might get worse. I would then tell them to watch the boy for signs of psychological trauma and to have him in therapy. I would then call the authorities. But I am not this boy's doctor. So all I can do is tell you to take him home when he awakens. And remind you that I have nothing planned for the foreseeable future. So if you were to take a few days to yourself that would not be a problem. As long as you remember who you are and who he is. Now I am going back to my quarters call me when he rouses I feel we may need to have a long talk with the boy." He turned to leave but hesitated. He turned back towards me and looked away.

"Shego the boy is covered in scars. I don't know what he has been through but I fear if he doesn't see a change soon he may make certain choices, irrevocable choices. I would not be surprised if he slipped into a deep depression and then…." He left the sentence unfinished.

"Or if he had a psychological break and changed into Zorpox on his own." I didn't say anything I just nodded and watched as Dr. D walked away. There have been few times in my life where I could say I had no idea what I was doing. That was one of those times. There was something about that situation or about him that peaked my interest and concerned me.

I was brought out of my deep thoughts by the sound of light snoring. The rat had fallen asleep curled up against Stoppable's neck. Not giving it a second thought I ran my hands along his back. He was soft and very warm. I guess the little guy could grow on you.

Ron

When I finally came to I knew I wasn't alone. I opened my eyes slightly straining against the light as I tried to focus on who was keeping me company. Shego was sitting in a chair next to the bed I was on. Which I quickly realized wasn't mine. I hoped Shego hadn't taken me to a hospital. That was the last thing I needed. Pushing that fear to the back of my mind I noticed she had her hand stretched out towards me. I couldn't feel it so I looked to see what she was doing. She was petting Rufus. I looked back at her and saw a whisper of a smile on her face. It was so beautiful that the thought of what an actual smile would look like on her sent a shiver down my spine. But this was an opportunity I couldn't let go by.

"The little guy has a way of growing on you huh?" She shot straight out of that seat a good foot. She was blushing as she sat back down and tried to act like nothing had happened.

"He's loyal. I like that." Deciding not to give her a hard time I tried to sit up. Moving made my back feel like it was on fire. I hid it as best I could as I fought the wave of nausea that hit me as I moved my body upwards. I felt her arms on my shoulders steadying me. I smiled at her and lifted Rufus up to my face.

"Yeah he really is. He is the best person I know. Sure he isn't a person to most people. But to me he is." She looked puzzled. I guessed she wasn't really sure of how to take that.

"What about Kimmie?" She was expecting me to back peddle. To stammer and stutter but that wasn't what I did.

"Rufus is the best person I know. He doesn't let anything come between us. KP may be my best friend." I said that last bit with less conviction than I thought I should have but decided it was how I was feeling. So I left it at that.

"But he is the truest friend I have ever had." I looked her in the eyes to tell her I meant what I said. She looked away after a while. I wished she hadn't because I knew I had to say something.

"So where am I? Please tell me this isn't a Hospital." I couldn't stop the fear that crept in my voice. She looked back at me with a smirk. I didn't dislike the way it looked on her but I would have preferred a smile.

"I didn't think taking you to a hospital would have been a good idea for either of us. So I brought you to the one doctor I knew." My eyes went wide at that idea but only for a moment. She hadn't done anything to hurt me and I doubt Drakken would have at least not purposely. For all the grandstanding the guy was simply not evil crazy sure but evil not so much. I just hoped he hadn't used one of his wacky inventions on me.

"He gave you some antibiotics for the infection an-" I cut her off after I heard the word "infection".

"What infection?"

"The one you got from the cuts on your back. Which Dr. D cleaned and stitched for you." I let out a deep breath and relaxed.

"About those cuts you are going to tell me who did that to you. And you are going to tell me right now." I guess I could have argued with her but I was tired and I felt I owed her an explanation after what she had done for me.

"Fine but I'm only going to say this once so if the Doc wants to hear this you better get him here." She got up from her chair and walked over to what I thought was an intercom.

"Dr. D the patient is up." She didn't wait for an answer and I didn't hear one. She walked back towards me and for the first time I realized she wasn't in her jump suit. She was wearing black boot cut jeans that looked made for her with a green tank top that said "Bone Breaker" on it and black boots. She had her hair pulled back in a pony tail that reached the middle of her back. She looked great but what really caught my attention was that the shirt was from Smarty Mart. I knew better than to say anything about that but I took a mental note for later use.

"You look great." I said as she sat back in her chair. She looked me over suspiciously but softened just a bit.

"Thank you. You look like crap." I broke out laughing. There was no venom in the words it was just a true statement. I was pale sweaty shivering and exposed. By that time I didn't see a reason to try and hide my scars. She had already seen them. As I was sure Drakken had who by then had just walked into the room. I looked back at him and had to smile. It wasn't the pajamas, the robe, or the slippers. No it was the night cap a blue night cap with a little fuzzy ball hanging from the top. It just made me smile.

"Hey Dr. D stylin' threads love the night cap."

"Well yes it is the shizzle." I couldn't laugh. I wanted to but I knew if I started I wouldn't be able to stop. So I just smiled as big as I could and turned to Shego.

"His" I began while motioning with my thumb over my shoulder towards Drakken "Night cap is the shizzle." After I said that her face contorted and for a second I thought she was angry but then I realized she was trying not to laugh. Before I could make it harder for her Drakken was at her side and began to talk.

"Now then lad. How are you feeling?" He almost sounded like a regular doctor. But there was slight edge to his voice. It was obvious he was very interested in exactly what had happened to me.

"Well my back feels like it's on fire. I'm nauseas, dizzy, tired, cold, sweaty, and embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" He looked at me with a questioning look on his face. He didn't prod me to continue but I did anyway.

"This." I said motioning toward my back. "This isn't something people should have to see. I didn't want anyone to know."

"Well it's to late for that." Shego had a point. They had already seen it and helped me more than most people would have.

"Yeah, well that doesn't make this any easier." I looked at the floor hoping it would swallow me but it didn't seem hungry.

"Ron. Please." She had never called me that before. It relaxed me slightly.

"I had gym today. I have it with some of the football team including Brick Flagg the quarter back. He's a good guy. A little slow but a good guy. When he's around none of the football players pick on anyone. But he was in a hurry today. And when he left the locker room all bets were off. I was ready for it. Well I thought I was. I was expecting the usual. A couple of hits some kicks maybe getting thrown into an open locker door or being tackled into a sink. You know the usual stuff. It'd hurt but I'd walk away with only some bruises a cut or two maybe a cracked rib. Nothing I couldn't deal with."

"Why?" She cut me off before I could continue.

"Because they enjoy it and I'm there favorite target. Anyway-"

"Not what I meant." She cut me off again only this time she looked angry.

"Why do you let them? I saw what you did to Dr. D's guards today. And while they may not be the best fighters any one of them could wipe the floor with your entire football team. You took down four in a matter of seconds. So I ask why. Why do you let them hurt you?" She emphasized each word with a jab of her finger to my chest. I could lie but they helped me and that counted for something in my book. They didn't have to. Heck they might have been better off had Shego just left me or if Drakken had kicked me out. But they didn't and I owed them.

"I can't fight back." She started to interrupt me but I cut her off. "Let me finish. I can't fight back because KP told me not to. She said that if I were to fight them I could hurt them. And that would reflect badly on her. How would it look she said. If a member of Team Possible injured a Middleton high student. The press would be all over it and her name would be mud. She told me to take the hits. Just let them do what they wanted. I should be able to take a few hits without getting hurt. In the long run it would be better for everyone. So I did what she told me. And she was right it was nothing I couldn't take. But things have been getting worse. And today was the worst." I stopped to gather my thoughts as they digested what I had told them.

"After Brick left the locker room three members of the football team came up behind me. I was sitting on the bench in front of my locker drying my hair since I had just got out of the shower. Danny and Nick they're line backers grabbed me by my arms and shoved me against the lockers. I figured it was going to be a couple shots to my back and then a few slams of my head against the locker. I was wrong. Today was different. Mike Crenshaw had a new idea. He's the brains of the three and the kicker. I looked over my shoulder and saw him pull an exacto knife from his bag. He told me he was going to give me something so that I would remember my place. He wanted to make sure I never forgot what I was. He walked up behind me stepping over the bench and pushed the blade of the knife into my back. I didn't make a sound." I sat there for few minutes holding Rufus and petting him gently.

"I didn't make a sound. Rufus was asleep in my locker and I didn't want to wake him."

"What!?!" I didn't bother to look at Shego. I just explained without taking my eyes off of Rufus.

"If they were willing to cut me what do you think they would do to Rufus?" I didn't wait for an answer.

"If I had screamed Rufus would have come out and tried to help me. And if they had tried to do anything to him I would have killed them." I looked Shego in the eyes so she could tell I was serious.

"Slowly." I stared into her eyes and saw what I had hoped was understanding.

"Anyway Mike did his thing. He took his time and made sure I knew exactly what each cut was. When he was done he took a step back to admire his handy work then grabbed his wet towel and gave me a few whips. By that time they were all laughing. Danny and Nick let me go and they posed for a few pictures using Nick's cell phone. Afterwards they washed there hands and left. Laughing and cracking jokes like this was no big deal nothing more than a wedgie. That was the part that got to me. To them it was nothing. It wasn't an evil act it was just a prank on the school loser. That is what embarrasses me. I knew they never thought of me as an equal but today showed me that they don't even consider me a person." Shego placed her hand on my shoulder and I could have sworn she looked concerned. I put my hand on hers and continued.

"I sat there for a few minutes trying to catch my breath. Then I grabbed a bandage from my bag. I had plenty of bandages for just such an occasion. I put it on as best as I could. Then I threw the towel I had been wearing into the garbage after I wiped some of the blood from my back. I got dressed and went to class. I was late and got detention which pissed KP off because I missed cheer practice. But before she could go off on me we got a call from Wade and well you know the rest." I waited for it all to sink in before I got up and made my way towards the door. I looked back at them and smiled as best as I could.

"I just want to thank you both for helping me. I don't want to seem ungrateful but I should get home. So I don't bother you two more than I already have." I stood at the door for a few minutes before turning and starting to scratch my neck.

"How do I get of here? And for that matter where is here?" Drakken looked at Shego and said something. I wasn't sure what but she stood up walked towards me.

"I'll take you home Stoppable." She had already walked passed me before I could say anything. I looked back at Drakken and thanked him once more before following Shego.

Dr. Drakken

As I watched the boy follow Shego I became very tired. His story had taken a toll on me. The boy that helped Kim Possible foil all of my plans was treated like nothing. What the other boys had done was bad. But I got the feeling that what Kim Possible was doing to him was worse. I decided that I very much wanted a glass of coco moo. As I was walking to my quarters I couldn't help but wonder what would become of the boy. But what really weighed on me was the way Shego was acting. This had gone beyond mere curiosity. She was showing actual concern for the boy. That was something that I had never seen from her before.

Shego

I helped Stoppable into my car and got into the drivers seat. A short time later we were on our way back to Middleton. It was a quit ride. I didn't know what to say about what he told me. And he didn't try to start a conversation. I knew I would be staying to watch over him. He couldn't be left alone. And while I didn't know for sure if his parents were gone I had the suspicion that they were. I hadn't seen them and he didn't mention them. From what little surveillance Dr. D had on him I knew they were away quite often. And since he wasn't going to tell the princess what happened that left me. I wasn't upset about that. He needed someone and my curiosity was still getting the better of me. Well that's what I told myself.

"So are your parents home?" I figured I'd get that out of the way first to make sure I was needed. He didn't look at me. He didn't even move. But he spoke very quietly.

"No. They're on a cruise. They won't be back for two weeks." Well that settled that. I would be staying with him. Now I had to tell him. I decided to wait until we were at his house. It would make him feel more comfortable.

Ron

As we were pulling up to my street I considered telling Shego to drop me off a few blocks from my house. But I quickly pushed that thought aside. I didn't want to be rude. Or make her think I was ashamed to be seen with her. Although in truth I was slightly worried about being seen by KP. After all that Shego had done to help me I didn't want KP to cause her any problems. Besides I didn't think I could walk a few blocks I felt so weak. It was such I relief to see my house approaching from the distance. Shego pulled the car up my drive way and stopped in front of the garage. I sat quietly for a few minutes not really wanting to be alone. Which I knew was what I would be when I left the car. I looked at Shego smiled and opened the passenger car door. I was about to thank her again and say goodbye but she spoke first.

"The garage." It took me a second to register what she had said. What did she want with the garage? Was she working with the gnome? Had he planned this from the beginning? I snapped out of the line and thought and gave her a questioning look.

"You have to open the garage Stoppable." I sat back into the passenger seat and looked at her for a second.

"Why do I have to open the garage?" She sighed and shook her head.

"Well if you would prefer me leaving my car in the driveway for next two weeks we could do that. But I think that might draw some unwanted attention." I let the implication of her words sink in. She was planning on staying with me. I wouldn't have to be alone. But why would she go that far for me? Helping me in an emergency was one thing. But playing nurse for two week was something else. I didn't consider that she was planning anything sinister. It wouldn't make any sense. So there had to be another reason. In all honesty I really didn't care. I needed to be with someone. So I left the car and opened the garage. She quickly parked her car and helped me pull the garage door down. I led her into the house and into the kitchen.

"Can I get you something to drink?" I wanted her to feel comfortable if I had been in better shape I would have cooked her a 4 star dinner. Actually I would have done that anyway.

"I'll take a soda." I pulled two from the fridge and sat them on the table. Rufus had made his way from my pocket and up to my room. The little guy was probably exhausted he had only slept for fifteen hours that day. If I hadn't been so preoccupied with the woman sitting across from me I would have followed him.

"Shego I can't thank you enough for helping me today. But you don't have to stay with me." She didn't make a sound she just stared at me. It made me very uncomfortable.

"Not that I don't want you here. I do want you here. I really don't want to be alone. Not to say that I only want some company. I want you to be here. I like you and would really like to spend some time with you. Not that I like like you. Not that I don't. It's just…" I was rambling and quite possible hyperventilating. I had to do something. Say something to defuse the situation.

"Oh look soda." I lifted the can to my mouth and looked everywhere but at her.

Shego

I probably should have stopped him half way into that rant but he was kinda cute when he was flustered. And when he said he liked me I knew he was being honest. Not that that mattered to me. Or at least I didn't think it did. I finished my soda and cleared my throat. He finally looked at me and was visibly nervous.

"Its late you need rest." He nodded his agreement and threw out the empty cans of soda. I noticed that he had seemed to relax.

"Um the guest room is this way." He motioned down the hall and started to show me the way. I didn't follow him. I stood at the kitchen table and waited for him to notice he was alone. He was saying something about a linen closet when he looked back and saw I was still in the kitchen. Before he could say anything I walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the second floor.

"I know I suck at giving directions. But that is so not way to the guest room." I decided to let him in on my plans. As much fun as messing him was I was starting to get tired.

"I'm not staying in the guest room." I told him from the top of the stairs. By the time he had gotten up the stairs I was in his room rummaging through his closet. I had forgotten to bring my essentials. Well I had forgotten everything. I would need to make a run back to Dr. D's in the morning and pack a bag. He walked into the room as I found what I had been looking for. It was one of those red shirts he wore when he wasn't on a mission. I had seen him wearing it a number of times on the surveillance tapes Dr. D had been making of the princess. I walked into his bathroom and closed the door. After I had changed I went directly to his bed and crawled in. He hadn't moved an inch. He stood there for a few minutes before I heard him moving. I looked and saw he was grabbing a blanket from a dresser drawer. He opened another drawer and pulled out a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. He turned back to look at me for a second before making his way to the door.

I knew what he was going to do. He was going to sleep somewhere else. Here I was in his bed waiting for him and he was just going to leave. I had to smile. It was such a gentlemanly thing to do. It was also not going to happen.

"Stoppable get into this bed this instant!" The look on his face was surprising to say the least. I had expected fear or embarrassment but what I say was determination. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as if trying to speak. I could see he was unsure of himself. Finally he smiled and began to talk.

"I can't." It almost sounded like he was talking to himself.

"Stoppable nothing and I mean nothing is going to happen. I'm here to make sure you're okay. And it would be easier for the both of us if we were close. This way I could keep an eye on you and if you need anything I'm right here." He looked away for a second then smiled. Not at me not at anything in particular. He just smiled.

"I know that Shego. It's just I don't think I'd be able to sleep with you next to me." He put the blanket and clothes down on the dresser and then walked to his closet and rummaged through it for a minute before pulling a large cardboard box from the back. I heard him grunt as he lifted the box. The act of taking the box from the closet must have hurt his back. Before I could say anything he was walking towards the bed. He had a slight blush spreading across his face. He sat at the edge of the bed in front of me and motioned me over. I sat up behind him. From over his shoulder I could see him opening the box. He started to put the contents on the bed. When he was done he turned to me and I could see the blush had deepened. I was very curious. The box had been filled with packages covered in wrapping paper and sealed cards.

"These are for you." He paused momentarily as he gestured to all of the objects on the bed. As that thought sunk in he continued to speak.

"I never got up the courage to give them to you. Every time I had an excuse and sometimes when I didn't I would buy something for you. Usually something that reminded me of you. I wanted to give you something so that I could see you smile. Before I met you I had seen your picture in KP's locker and lost myself in your image. Then I met you and you took my breath away." He handed me a small pink package with hearts on it.

"Before my parents took away my naco money I bought this for you." I took the package and looked at him. Confusion had to have been written all over my face. He smiled and placed his hand behind his neck.

"I know everybody thought that Drakken had stolen it all. But it's not possible to walk around with $99 million dollars in your pants. After I went spend happy and Drakken robbed me my parents took the rest and put it in a savings account. I have about $77 million left. My parents set up a debit card so that I can have them transfer money from my savings account but no more than $50 thousand a year. Until I turn 21 then it's all mine." He smiled at me again and for the first time I realized how deep his brown eyes were and how many secrets they must have held.

"Besides my parents you're the only one that knows that. Anyway I got this for you back then. I was going to try to give it to you on Valentine's Day. I want you to open it." I looked back at the small package and began to take the wrapping off. After a second I saw that it was a small blue jewelry box. I opened the lid and gasped. It was the most beautiful piece of jewelry I had ever seen. It was a heart with black stones on one side and green stones on the other. He lifted the heart from the box and placed it on my neck.

"It's platinum with emeralds and black diamonds." All I could do was nod as he secured the chain and let it hang around my neck. I didn't notice as he stood from the bed. I didn't see him grab the blanket and sleepwear from the top of the dresser. But I did hear as he told me to open the rest and then left. I sat on the bed caressing the heart with the tips of my fingers. I'm not sure how long I stayed like that. But eventually I began to open the other packages. While none of the others were as extravagant as the necklace they each surprised me.

There was a manicure set in a black leather case with my name embossed on the cover in green. Next was a black teddy bear with a sneer on his face, green eyes, and a black t shirt that read Love Monster in green letters above which was a green broken heart. Followed by a pair of black and green cowboy boots which was not something I would normally like but they were beautifully made and the green was python skin. There were other smaller gifts and I loved each of them. But what really got to me, aside from the necklace, were the cards. They all said basically the same thing. That he had feelings for me and while he knew he was no where near good enough for me he would be happy just to spend a few minutes with me.

Ron

I went down the stairs as quickly as I could. I was scared she might think I was stalker or something. I knew that she would reject me and probably laugh at me but I was in no shape for what she would do to me if she thought that. Maybe giving her all the gifts at once was too much but I had to make her understand. There was no way I would have been able to get any sleep with her in the same bed. Heck I wasn't sure I could get any sleep with her in the same house. All the things I wanted to tell her but were too afraid to would be bouncing around in my head all night. I'd be a nervous wreck.

But I had finally given her the gifts and the cards. I hoped she didn't read the cards. I had written so many of them that I couldn't remember what they said. I knew how pathetic I had to have seemed to her. But having given her the gifts was worth it. I just hoped she liked them.

After I changed into my pajamas and shirt I was trying to get myself comfortable on the couch. It wasn't easy but I finally found the perfect position. As I was trying to get to sleep I heard something. It was Shego she was coming down the stairs. I shot straight up ignoring the protest of the sudden movement from my back. I had left the hallway light on so I could see her clearly. She looked confused. Which was good, well not good but better than if she looked angry. She walked towards me turning on the living room light on her way in. I didn't know what to say so I tried to make a joke.

"So you come here often?" It was weak and to be honest I don't even think she heard me. I waited for to say something. It looked like she was about to but she stopped herself before she could start to speak. Finally she let out a deep sigh and sat down next to me close enough that our legs were touching. I wanted to wrap my arm around her but I liked my arm and knew I would miss it when she ripped it off. After a while I decided there were plenty of things I could do with one arm so I took a chance. I put my arm around her and placed my hand on her shoulder. To my surprise she leaned into me and placed her head on my shoulder. Neither of us said anything. After a while I realized she was asleep. I listened to her breathe and enjoyed the warmth of her against me until I finally fell asleep.

To be continued.

This is my first Kim Possible fan fiction and the first thing of any substance I have written in quite some time. I would love to hear any feed back positive or negative. Kagerous.


	2. Chapter 2

Loser

Disclaimer

I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters used in this story. This story has mature content including violence, adult language, and possibly sexual content or situations.

Shego

I don't remember when I feel asleep. But I knew I was about to wake up. Trying to fight off the cold I pulled myself closer the only source of warmth. Finally my eyes began to open. I blinked a few times trying to get the sleep out of my eyes. After a moment I realized that I was pressing myself against Ron and that he had his arm around my shoulders. If I hadn't been so cold I doubt I would have pushed myself away. But as comfortable as Ron's shirt was it wasn't exactly warm. I had remembered the blanket that Ron had brought down and decided that it would be very warm.

The blanket had fallen on the floor next to the couch. I grabbed and started to wrap it around Ron and myself when I realized that sleeping while sitting up probably wasn't the best thing for Ron. I laid him down as gently as I could. After a couple of tries I came to the conclusion that I was going to have to lay him on his back. After I got him as comfortable as I could, I considered going to sleep in his bed. The bed however had lost its appeal. So I grabbed the blanket and placed my self between him and the back of the couch. As I was covering us with the blanket he instinctively wrapped his arm around me and placed his hand on my waist. The bed had definitely lost its appeal. Before I fell asleep I became aware of his sent. How odd, I thought he smells like vanilla.

Ron

It was a dream. It had to be. Things like this didn't happen to me. And if they did they ended badly. So badly, in fact I almost wanted this to be a dream. It wasn't. I knew that. I remembered everything from the day before. Even though the memories were vivid in my mind I couldn't help but doubt them. I could feel her in my arms, her head on my chest, and hear her breathing slowly. She had wrapped one of her legs around my mine. I could feel that and yet I still didn't believe it. All I had to do was open my eyes and I would know for sure. That was easier said than done. Sure the act of opening my eyes was simple. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was too scared.

The idea that it had all been a dream was too much to bear. Sure it would just be like any other day but I didn't think I could live with that. Or maybe I didn't want to live with that. No. As bad as things had been and as bad as they could have become I decided that it was not in me to give up. It was not part of my Ronness. So I opened my eyes and there she was.

I can't express what I felt at that moment. It was beyond anything that I had ever dreamt of. I tried to take in all of her at once. From the color of her skin, to the scent of her hair, peppermint and the warmth of her body against mine. She was so beautiful it almost hurt to have her that close. I wanted to pull her closer. Hold her tighter. But I didn't think that was possible. Besides I didn't want to wake her. I wasn't sure what she was thinking. If maybe this was her giving me pity, which was the last thing I wanted. As much as I needed to push that thought away it was too strong. My heart was breaking more each second.

She stirred slightly. I held my breath hoping she wouldn't wake. Eventually I took a breath and knew she was still asleep. I craned my neck and looked at her face. She was smiling. And it was even more beautiful than I had thought. I wanted more than anything to have been the cause of that smile. Even if I wasn't, just seeing it was more than I thought I deserved. Those feelings that I had thought I had for her, well I finally knew what they where. I loved her. God, I loved her with all my heart.

Most people would revel in that moment. The moment when they realize love isn't just real but it's theirs. I'm not most people. Not now, not then. I wasn't scared either. No I was angry. Not at her but at myself. I would never have her. I knew that. There was no way it could happen. And it wasn't because I wouldn't have been good enough it was because she was too good for me. I know that doesn't make much sense but it was the way I saw things. I could have been the greatest guy ever and still not have been worthy of her. How could I?

I may not have accepted the "Loser" label that every one slapped on me, but I knew where I stood. At the end of the day I would be a good guy, a nice guy, which meant I would finish last. While she was the "List" come true. You know the "List" beautiful, smart, funny, strong, independent and caring. I always hoped that last one was true and I had found out it was. So as I said "How could I?"

I couldn't. But I could enjoy what little time I had. She said she would stay with me until my parents got back from their cruise. I wasn't sure if she meant it but even if she left that night I would make sure that I got all I could out of that time. And as enjoyable as sleeping with her was, and it was very enjoyable, this was not a time for sleep. This was a time for memories. I knew for all the things that I might not have been I was memorable. You may not like Ron Stoppable but you would remember him. Unless you were Drakken or some other people, okay so maybe I wasn't that memorable. But I had been known, on certain occasions, to leave my mark. And this was going to be one of those times.

I looked over at the clock and saw that it was just about 9:00 in the morning. Morning meant breakfast which I would make after a quick shower. This was the tricky part. I wanted to surprise Shego with breakfast so I had to work myself out from underneath her without waking her up. Which was difficult but not impossible, I had to move slowly and make sure to support her so she wouldn't suddenly fall into the couch. After a little work I had freed myself and watched as she curled herself up under the blanket. It took all I had to not try and work myself back under her.

A few minutes later I was in my room thinking about taking a shower. I wanted a shower but was worried about getting the dressing wet. If it did get wet, I would have had to have Rufus help put on a new bandage. He wouldn't like me waking him up but I was planning a big breakfast for all of us, so I knew he would forgive me. I grabbed a towel and went to my shower.

As I was getting the water ready I was running through ideas for breakfast. All throughout the shower while I tried to keep the dressing dry, my mind was running through my recipe collection. By the time I stepped out of the shower I had the perfect meal planned, and my dressing was relatively dry. I quickly dried myself off and changed into some clean house clothes. I grabbed Rufus and headed down to the kitchen being careful to make as little noise as possible.

I placed Rufus, who was still asleep, on the couch next to Shego. After a quick scan of the kitchen, to make sure I had all I needed, I got to work. The menu was simple but definitely a show stopper. Croissant French toast, with a caramel apple sauce, mascarpone whipped cream and apple smoked bacon. It was of my fancier recipes especially since I liked to bake my own fresh croissants.

I got right to work knowing I had to make everything perfect. The croissants went first. I made the dough from memory, as I made most things. After I got them in the oven, I started to peel some granny smith apples, which went quickly. I had started the caramel sauce when the croissants finished baking. I set them aside to cool as I continued to work the caramel sauce, adding the apples and letting them simmer. I took the few minutes that gave me to make the French toast batter. I was careful not to let the caramel apple sauce burn. When it was done I poured it into a thermos to keep it warm, while I made the bacon and French toast. I almost forgot to start the coffee maker but I remembered before it was too late. When the bacon and French toast was done I placed them in a warm oven to keep them hot. I had one last thing to do. It took a bit of time to whip the cream since I was using a whisk instead of my hand held mixer. This was a surprise and I had to be quit about it. Once I folded the mascarpone into the cream, to lighten it, I was done. Well done with the cooking now it was time for plating. I decided to add fresh strawberries and powdered sugar to the plate for garnish. I was pouring Shego a cup of coffee when I heard her mumbling something which was quickly followed by a loud "THUMP".

"OW!" She fell of the couch. Oh my god, Shego fell of the couch. I wanted to laugh so badly. You have no idea how hard it was to not laugh. It got easier when she stood up and I could see how mad she was. She looked at me and I could tell she was starting to become embarrassed. I smiled and called her over.

"Morning Shego. Breakfast is ready. I was going to serve it to you in bed, well in couch but I don't think you like the couch right now." The look that took over her face was quite possibly the scariest thing I had ever seen. She walked right up to me and looked right into my eyes. Before I could run and hide, which was what I had been planning, she saw the plate of food on the table and eyed it hungrily.

"I'll let that slide if that is as good as it looks." She sat at the table as I finally poured her that cup of coffee.

"How do you take your coffee?"

"Black. But with plenty of sugar." After I placed the mug next to her plate, I got the sugar from the cabinet and handed it to her. I poured myself a glass of orange juice and called Rufus. He was scurrying into kitchen before I could finish saying "Breakfast".

I put the plate I had made him on the counter in his usual spot. He smiled at me as he dove straight into the food.

"Stoppable."

"Huh?" As soon as had looked back at her I realized that she was waiting for me. I sat down at the table and smiled at her.

"You didn't have to wait." She had a funny look on her face.

"You didn't have to make breakfast. Actually you shouldn't have made breakfast at all. You need rest, Doctor's orders."

"Sorry Shego but orders or not, you are my guest and this is the least I could do. Besides I'm felling better already." I smiled at her and began to eat.

"How much better?" She asked between bites.

"Well, let's say that I don't think I'll be making us any lunch. After this I'm pretty much spent." She was about take a bite of bacon when she looked at it and then at me.

"Aren't you Jewish?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Bacon." She motion at the bacon on my plate with the piece in her hand.

"Well, my family isn't kosher." We spent the rest of the meal in quiet. Except for the sounds that Shego made as she ate. She wasn't a noisy eater but really seemed to like the food. Every yummy food sound she made brought a smile to my face. Halfway through the meal I just watched her eat. Even though she had a case of bed head and a drop of caramel on her chin she was beautiful. I knew I had it bad when, I caught myself thinking about licking that drop of caramel from her chin.

I must have zoned because before I knew it we had both finished our breakfast. I snapped out of it and offered her another cup of coffee.

"No thanks. I should get ready to go." She said it so nonchalantly as if each of those words wouldn't kill me a little inside. Have you ever felt your heart whiter? I have. What made it worse was that she had filled my heart with so much hope. I had told myself that it would happen. I had made a promise to myself not to breakdown and beg her to stay.

"Oh…..You're leaving? I kinda guessed you wouldn't stay the whole two weeks. I had hoped to spend more time with you. But I guess one day or night of "Ronness" is more than most people can bear." I didn't look at her as I said that. I didn't want to see her face. I should say I didn't want to see pity or disgust on her face.

Shego

I couldn't speak. It was like I had just kicked a puppy in the face. The pain and hurt that emanated from his body made me want to go to him and hold him. But it did something else it pissed me off. I told him I would stay and I meant it. And what was that whole "night of Ronness" bit.

"Stoppable." Oh he is not ignoring me. I know for his sake he better not me ignoring me.

"Stoppable! Look at me!" There we go.

"I am leaving. I wasn't sure if I was going to stay." I could see him shrink with every word making me madder and sadder at the same time.

"So I didn't bring certain essentials that I would need for a prolonged stay. And while you shirt is very comfortable I'll be needing some other items." He was looking at me now. I could see that he wanted to smile but was fighting it. He was waiting to make sure I was saying what he thought I was.

"You won't be getting rid of me that easily. One night of "Ronness" Was not more than I can bear. Hell I dealt with years of Dr. D. and he never made me felt as nice as you do."

Ron

My face hurt. I was smiling so wide and with such bliss that it was causing me pain. I didn't care she said she was going to stay. She said I made her feel nice. The angel I had fallen in love with said I made her feel nice. I could've died right there and have had no regrets. Well I would've regretted that whole pants falling down repeatedly thing. And not having kissed her yet. But I knew I could prevent one of those. I don't remember walking over to her. I don't remember putting my hand on the back of her head. I don't remember leaning forward. But I do remember the sensation of my lips lightly touching her forehead and the slight blush that rose through her cheeks.

"Don't take too long." It was all I could get out before my legs whisked me out of the room. The next few minutes went by in a blur, but I distinctly remember the sound of the door closing behind her. As much as tried not to my heart still sank a little. Part me a part I couldn't control expected her not to return. But I trusted her. I had to. I loved her.

To be continued.

I must admit this took me quite a bit longer than the first chapter. I was planning to go a lot farther in this chapter but I really wanted to put something up. It may take a while but I while continue this story. I want to apologize for the time it took for this to be posted and for the briefness of this chapter. There will be more. I promise. I would love to hear any more feed back positive or negative. Kagerous.


	3. Chapter 3

Loser

Disclaimer

I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters used in this story. This story has mature content including violence, adult language, and possibly sexual content or situations.

Ron

A short time after she left I went up to my room to rest. I was still pretty out of it. As I lied in bed my mind started to ask itself questions. The hard kind that makes you rethink your entire life. What was I worth? Not to anyone other than myself. What kind of sense of self worth did I have?

I realized at that moment that I had no sense of self worth. That's not to say that I hated myself. Not in the least. I just couldn't see anything worthwhile in myself. But when you considered the company I kept. How could I? I was in all honesty a special person surrounded by the most amazing people in the world. If you were to take stock of them, it would show you how mundane I truly was.

First, of course there was Kim. Teen superhero, straight A student, captain of the cheer squad, and beautiful girl. Her parents were geniuses. Ms. Dr. P. was a brain surgeon and Mr. Dr. P. was a rocket scientist. Hell the twins were geniuses.

My second best friend Felix was dealt a worse hand than me and was dealing with it better. He was a better athlete, gamer, student and though he didn't talk much about it I knew he helped more with his chair then he let on.

Then there was Monique who was a bonafide fashionista. As well as being one of the most popular girls in school. Oh and she was beautiful too. Not too mention she knew more about wrestling than I did.

Heck the entire cheer squad was smarter than I was. And cheer leaders where supposed to be stupid. Damn cliché's never worked my way.

Oh and lets not forget about Yori kind, deadly, beautiful, and smart with a great sense of humor. Oh and she was ninja. Another in the long line of amazing people making me realize how inadequate I was.

There was Wade who aside from being a master hacker was an all around technological genius.

But it went on even the villains Kim and I had faced were better than me in there own ways. Drakken for all his faults was brilliant and tenacious. Dr. Dementor was the same. Senior Senior Senior was one of the riches men in the world and a loving father. Hell Monkey Fist had his arms and legs amputated and replaced with monkey limbs. As wrong-sick as that was he was willing to deal with the pain. That was a kind of determination that I could never hope to understand. Motor Ed was a mechanical genius. DNAmy was a geneticist above all others. Duff Killigan was the best golfer in the world.

Senior Senior Junior was well he actually made me feel better about myself.

Then there was Shego, who was so much better than me yet willing to help with my problems. Of course she was amazing she had been a teen hero and was one of the best thieves in the world. Even if she didn't return she had done so much for me that I could never think of her in any way other than as an amazing human being.

When compared to that, what was I? It wasn't that I was putting myself down. I just couldn't think of myself as anything other than inadequate, which is why I guess I went on those missions with Kim. It wasn't because I thought I could help her. I knew the opposite was true. If anything I was just a nuisance. But on those rare occasions when I helped or even saved the day, I felt good. No good isn't the right word, I felt worthy. I was proud of myself. Of course I had to go through so much to get that. But it was the only way. I was so lost in those thoughts that I didn't remember falling asleep. But I did. I fell into a long fitful sleep.

When I awoke I felt so cold. Not just because of the shivers but because I was alone. It wasn't that I was alone in bed. It was that the house was empty. I had awoken to that so many times before that I just knew. There's a feeling that comes from being alone in your house, a feeling that I was familiar with. I knew I had to have been asleep for a while the sun had set. I looked at the clock on the night stand. It was 10 at night. She had been gone for over twelve hours, which was more than enough time for her to have gone and come back three times over.

But she wasn't going to come back. What hurt, what really killed me, was that I had trusted her. I had fallen so deep that I put my trust in one of my most dangerous enemies. What does it mean when the last person you trust is the last person you should trust? It means that you will be betrayed one last time. I had believed that there was no way I could feel lower, but I had been wrong.

Then again I was always wrong. Even when I was right I was right in the wrong way. Hard to understand but that was me to a T. Of course if I was always wrong then that meant I was probably wrong about my lack of worth. Everyone had something to be proud about. I had to have something. And while compared to what those around me could do what I had was rather mundane. But I could do it better than all of them. I had something. I could cook. That was the skill I had. That was what I needed to grab onto.

Like I said it wasn't anything extraordinary but it was what I needed. It was the boost my ego desperately needed. But more importantly it was solid ground. I had been falling for so long, that anything that could stop my decent was more than welcome. It's funny but if anyone would be able to realize the power of something so small it would be me. I know from first hand experience that big things come in little packages. That was when I decided to make dinner for myself and my little buddy.

As I was cooking things started to seem a bit better. Cooking had that effect on me. It cleared my mind and I enjoyed it. I realized that if I could do this so well with out trying, who knew what else I could do. If I was given a chance and some support I knew I could move forward. I would try as hard as I could. But that was the easy part. The hard part was making the choice.

I didn't have much to keep me there. Nothing except my whole life, which wasn't much. Eventually I would get another naco check so high school and college weren't that important. Plus I really would have preferred to go to culinary school anyway. If I needed a high school diploma I was sure Wade could get me one. So school wasn't an issue. Kim didn't need me she never did, at least before she liked having me around now not so much. With the Ronmunicator wade gave me I would be able to stay in touch with Felix and my family wherever I went. And Rufus was more than welcomed where I would go. So there truly was nothing to stop me, nothing but my fear.

Fear is a hell of a thing. You can't touch it, but it can hold you down more than any thing else, which was why I knew I had to it then. If I waited I wouldn't go through with it. I hadn't even finished making dinner when I made the call. I barely had time to eat when they arrived. The Yamanouchi School's reach was far and wide. The very nice but quiet ninja's gave me a lift to a private airport. They also removed Wade's tracking chips, both the one in me and the one in the Ronmunicator. We were in the air before the day was over.

All of this thanks to Shego. She had pushed me more than anyone else had. Her betrayal was more than I could take. It was the final nail in the coffin of my old life. Even if she didn't know it the woman I loved had broken my heart. It would be a long time before she found out what she had done to me. Five years to be exact.

5 Years Later

It was Drakken's fault. He messed with the wrong people. Betrayed them in a way he should never have. He took a job with a drug cartel from Latin America. All he had to do was duplicate Shego's powers and find a way to give them to the cartels soldiers. Of course nothing with Drakken was ever simple. He took the large sums of money paid to him and used it to fund another one of his idiotic schemes. It had something to do with sharks and lasers or something. When that failed and the cartel realized what had happened they were not pleased.

Drakken and Shego had to go underground. But they weren't exactly inconspicuous, which was a problem. At least where Global Justice was concerned. That's where I came in. I had already brought Draken in. It wasn't that hard. He had been staying with Dr. Dementor. That lasted about three days before Drakken got on his nerves. Dementor called GJ and gave Dr. D. up. I just had to escort him to GJ headquarters.

Shego was different. As a thief she was used to being stealthy. As good as she was her temper would usually get the better of her. I thought it would have been her appearance, but she had makeup to take care of that. Nothing however could cover up the damage her anger had caused. She moved quickly and often, but couldn't quite stay under GJ's radar.

Eventually they caught up with her. That was why I was there on that beautiful white sandy beach. The sun had dipped low in the sky and it was time to make my move. I decided to go the direct route. I knocked on the door of her bungalow. I knew she was there I had been watching for the better part of a day.

She answered by the second knock. When she turned the door knob to open the door I kicked it in knocking her back. She wasn't expecting an attack and I took advantage of that. I moved forward with an elbow to her temple. She spun away from my attack and launched her own. My advantage was gone, not that it mattered. I blocked her high kick and got into her guard. She hadn't powered her hands up yet and I took the opportunity to dislocate her right arm at the shoulder. She grunted at the pain and lashed at me with her left hand ablaze. I had already moved past her but her attack ripped the back off my shirt.

In doing so she exposed my back. I heard her gasp. When I turned to press my attack I saw that she was kneeling on the floor. The fight was over. I walked over to her and sat at her side. Before she could say anything I popped her shoulder back into place.

Neither of us said anything for a while. We just sat there in silence. Finally she spoke.

"Ron. You dislocated my shoulder."

"Yeah." I said. "I was trying to disarm you."

It was a silly joke but she smiled and laughed just a little. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and pull her close. Instead I helped her up and to the little couch in the sitting area of the bungalow.

She had questions of course. Where had I been? What was I doing? Why did I attack her? I answered with my own question.

"Shego, there are a lot of things I would like to tell you but I don't have the time. I'm here on business. But before I get to it I have to ask you something… something that has been on my mind for the better part of the last five years. When you left, you said you were coming back. I know you didn't but I want to know if you lied to me. When you said you would come back did you already know that you weren't going to?"

She looked away trying to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes. I turned her face toward mine and wiped away the tears with my hand.

"No. I didn't lie. I was planning on going back. But the further I got from you the more scared I became. You were something new. Something I had no experience with. I knew that if I went back I would never want to leave."

I leaned into her and brought my lips to hers. She met me halfway and we kissed. It was soft at first but then she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled herself into me. It took all I had to break the kiss. I pushed her away and stood up.

"Ron?"

There was a hint of pleading in her voice. I ignored it. I couldn't let her get any closer than she already was. I had a job to do.

"Shego GJ sent me to bring you in."

"What? Why would they send you?"

"Because they can't risk the cartel getting you. The people that are after you would pose too much of a threat if they were capture you. If they find a way to duplicate your powers the repercussions would be horrific. Global Justice will not allow that to happen. Either you come in willingly and stay under GJ protection until the cartel is dismantled or I remove you from the picture."

I could have sworn I saw actual flames in her eyes. I readied myself for the inevitable attack. But it didn't come. She was mad, but not for the reasons I thought.

"They sent you on a suicide mission." Any other day and I would have been offended, but not that day.

"Should I take that as a "No"?"

She rose from the couch and walked towards me. There was something else in her eyes now. I think it was hope. It was second time that night that she got to me. I couldn't let it happen again.

"I won't let Global Justice stick me in a cage to try to protect me." She said the last part with more disgust than I had ever heard from her.

"I can take care of myself. And maybe you can come with me?"

"So it is a "No"."

She nodded her head. I wanted her to say yes. I thought maybe there could have been something with us this time. I knew she wouldn't, it was the first time I had wished I was wrong. She had moved away from me. Her posture had become defensive.

"You know you can't do this Ron."

"Five years is a long time. People change."

"Not that much."

I was waiting for that. She moved forward as she said it. There was no hesitation or fear in her. She had no idea what she was dealing with. GJ hadn't sent me because of our history. They sent me because I could and would kill her without hesitation.

It was to late when this dawned upon her. I was expecting to see fear in her eyes. But that's not what I saw. I would have been okay with hate, but that wasn't there either. I saw the last thing I wanted to see. I saw pity. I pulled the trigger and her eyes went dark.

She saw me pull the gun. She could have stopped but she didn't. I like to think that if she had realized what I had become earlier she would have given up. I know better. Shego never gave up. Global Justice knew that. They knew what was going to happen.

Like I said that's why they sent me. As I left the bungalow and called in the clean up crew I realized some thing. After those long five years and all the things I had lost. My friends who became sickened by what I was growing into. The life I could have led but was no longer in my grasp. Master Sensei who was to guilt ridden by what he had made me to be in my presence. Yori who couldn't deal with what our work entailed. And even my buddy Rufus who left with Yori. After all this time I had truly become that which I had tried so hard to move past. When this all started I was a good guy with a bright future but now I was Loser.

The End.

I would just like to say that when I started to write this I hadn't planned the ending of the story. But I figured it would be a happy one. Then as I started to write this chapter I asked myself what would Ron do if Shego didn't come back? The idea of that interested me and felt right. I see this story as too dark for a happy ending. I am however planning a more light-hearted Ron Shego story. But that won't be for a while. As for this story, well Loser is over but I think Loser 2 will happen. (But not anytime soon.) Thanks for reading.


End file.
